Suggestion to complete 8 day Switzerland itinerary

  • Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    29 May 2017 at 14:19:49 #812033

    Hi All,

    I will be arriving into Zurich on 21 Jun and setting my base in Luzern for 5 days and Moxtreux for 3 days before leaving to Paris.

    Thumbs up for this informative website and i gathered quite a lot of info to plan my itinerary. However I have some questions which I hope to get some suggestions on where-else to visit. For this trip, we focus on scenic tours and normal travel pace to enjoy the country.

    Day 1 – Wednesday, arriving into Zurich at 10am.

    Zurich city tour and visit museum/art galleries.

    Should I do the Lake Zurich or Rhine Fall or any other places before going to Luzern?

    Take train in late afternoon/early evening from Zurich to Luzern, check-in hotel

    Day 2 – Thursday

    Visit old town, Lion Monument in the early morning, and then to Engleberg –> Mt. Titlis

    Return to Luzern hotel and shopping in town, if time permits

    Day 3 – Friday

    Visit to Bern such as Old town, Bear pit, House of Parliament, Gruyeres

    Return to Luzern hotel

    Day 4 – Saturday

    Visit to Mt Rigi by Boat to Vitzrau –> Cogwheel to Rigi Kulm.

    Maybe try out Mineral Bath before returning to Luzern hotel

    Day 5 – Sunday

    Should I spend this day and visit to Basel or Lugano?

    Return to Luzern hotel

    Day 6 – Monday
    Plan to take Goldenpass line – leaving Luzern to Montreux at 9.05 hours, then walk around Montreux town.

    Should I enjoy the panoramic ride until Montreux or it is better to stop at Interlaken for an overnight stay?

    If I take the Goldenpass line, which sector is recommend to reserve for the 1st class seat to enjoy the view?

    Day 7 – Tuesday
    Visit to Geneva old town, flower clock

    Return to Montruex hotel

    Day 8 – Wednesday

    Free for this day. Any recommendation on where to visit?

    Return to Montreux hotel, and leaving on Day 9 morning to Geneva airport for flight into Paris.

    Is the above itinerary too relax, too messy or any place that I shouldn’t miss to visit. For Day 2 to Day 5, I’m flexible to rotate the plan depending on the weather if it is suitable to visit the mountains.

    I plan to get either the Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card, and we will pay fare for the train ride from Montreux to Geneva airport for the Day 9.

    Thank you for reading.

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    Peterli
    Participant
    1206 posts
    29 May 2017 at 22:27:12 #864169

    Hej !

    Are you travelling around exclusively by train ?

    Day 1: I think the Rheinfall is highly over-rated but do it if you want to and the weather is nice and you have time after your tours in Zurich. You will enjoy the scenery on the train ride to Lucerne.

    Day 2: You might want to consider adding the Swiss Transportation Museum to your Lucerne visit, especially if the weather is not nice to go to the Titlis.

    Day 3: Why not move your Day 4 to Day 3, especially if the weather is nice on day 3.

    Day 4: I see your Day 5 options are long trips, especially the one to Lugano. But if you really want to go to Lugano, do it on Day 4. You will enjoy the train ride but keep in mind it will take time both ways.

    Day 5: I suggest that you leave Lucerne and move on to somewhere in the area of Interlaken or Spiez. I see no great value of going all the way to Bern and then Gruyères and then going all the way back to Lucerne. You could explore the area around Interlaken, including going up to Wengen and returning via Grindelwald. Other things of interest might be Beatenberg and the Brienzer Rothorn.

    Day 6: This could be your day to go to Berne, and if you wanted, nearby Fribourg. Or this could be your day to take the Golden Pass over and down to Montreux. It is an easy and quick trip from Interlaken (and more so Spiez) to Berne.

    Days 7 and 8: Gruyères is very close to Montreux ! Rather than go to Geneva I would be more inclined to stick around the villages along the shore between Montreux and Lausanne, places such as Saint-Saphorin.

    I hope you have a great trip !

    http://www.verkehrshaus.ch/en

    http://brienz-rothorn-bahn.ch/?lang=en

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    30 May 2017 at 14:23:48 #864170

    Hello Peterli,

    Thank you for your suggestions and the links. My trip will be made exclusively by trains using the Swiss Travel Pass, and will relook into my itin to move on Day 5.

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    9 June 2017 at 0:28:06 #864171

    Hi,

    I ‘m taking the Goldenpass Line from Luzern to Montruex at 0905 hrs, arriving Interlaken OST at 1055 hrs. And intend to do a stopover for about 6 hrs before taking the next train to Spiez, that departs at 1708 hrs.

    I tried checking the timetable of taking a Lake Brienz cruise and Brienzer Rothorn but it seem very “rushing” to get myself to return to the train station by 1700 hours. Therefore I would like to get suggestion on what I can do in Interlaken for the 5-6 hours stopover in order to be able to catch the next train to Spiez?

    Will it be worth the value to reserve a VIP seating for the Zwiesmmuen – Montruex goldenpass route that leave at 1825 hrs?

    Thank you.

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    9 June 2017 at 6:47:55 #864172

    Hi tvincent,

    Peterli had some good suggestions that I think you should consider when you are in Interlaken (Day 5 of his post: Beatenburg, Brienzer Rothorn as well as the St. Beatus caves and click on his Interlaken link (where you will see a page with a list of recommended activities).

    Lucas

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    9 June 2017 at 7:28:17 #864173

    Hi Lucas,

    Thanks for suggesting the St. Beatus cave.I also took Peterli’s suggestion and created a 5 hrs itin for the area.

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